a helper stands at the front asking what you need and making certain all your papers are in line and ready before you’re herded to a small computer designed and built and researched for much more than it’s being used for now. for a mere number to be printed, a touch screen with one button, because this is really the best we can do.

have we really come to this point?
is this really the best we can do?
line standing reduced to numbers
handed out on small printed papers
views from games we spent too much
of our valuable time playing now
burned in the backs of eyelids
clear as the sky when we close our eyes
when we try to sleep
when we wake and find
we’re still standing, waiting for our
number to be called and wondering
is this really the best we can do?